The language of the New Jersey Constitution is quite clear. Nevertheless, there is a lot of disagreement over its language. Only in New Jersey, you say? Well, not so fast.
When the New Jersey legislature assembles on January 10, and the new legislature is sworn, there will be three members of the General Assembly who will be sworn in in seeming violation of the New Jersey Constitution. Reed Gusciora (15th LD), Ralph Caputo (29th LD) and Gabriela Mosquera (4th LD) have all lived in their legislative district for less than the one year required by article IV, sec. 1 par. 2. How can this be?
This is the case because the New Jersey Constitution does not exist in a vacuum. It exists in harmony with the other state constitutions and the United States Constitutions. In the overall constitutional scheme, provisions of state constitutions must pass federal constitutional muster.
